Classes
The day after returning from Ireland, I took a writing test to determine my level for classes at school this semester. I ended up testing into level 351, which is the third highest class offered here. I jumped from 323 to 351, which is excellent. There are I believe eleven kids in my class, and my language class is going to be so incredibly challenging, but I am gearing up for it. We have to do a lot of reading, oral presentations, and we have an 8-10 page paper due in May on a French polemic. I am also taking Philosophy, French history (from the French Revolution to present), Translation (English to French), Familiar French (to learn slang/familiar terms), and Music History. I am going to love love love my music history class, because we listen to classical French music and learn about how the music reflects society and different movements.I am super stoked!
Bordeaux
Last weekend, Jess and I went to a city called Bordeaux, which is in the southwest region of France, and oh my goodness it was fantastic! The first day there, we walked around the city for a few hours and we went to a fromagerie. We both got a cheese buffet, which came with a salad, multiple types of bread, and access to the cheese cave in the basement of the restaurant to taste and eat as much of any type of cheese that we so desired. I don’t think I have ever been in a room that smelled so amazing as the little cheese room. And of course we had this meal with a bottle of famous Bordeaux red wine, and it was so good!
The next day, Jess and I went to an art museum and then a natural history museum. Both of them were so cool and interesting. For lunch, we went to a seafood restaurant where I had the best foie gras and fish of my entire life.Bordeaux was a terribly expensive city, but the cliché cheese and wine experiences I had there were so worth it, and I will never forget my time there.
Miscellaneous Fun
Everything with les Aquarelles (the choir in which I sing) is going wonderfully. We are singing an interesting mix of songs as I mentioned before, but it’s always good fun to go and sing with the French girls.
For the Chinese New Year, Yilan and Béatrice wanted to throw a little fête. After each of us invited friends, there ended up being ten of us altogether. It was a splendid time, and we had food from the French, Chinese, Japanese, and American cultures. We talked a lot about different traditions and some people got up to do little short spectacles. Yilan got up and sang a song, Béatrice and one of her friends each recited a poem, and of course I was coerced to sing again. I hate singing upon command, but I guess it’s better that I come out of this little shell, haha.
There is a big celebration called Carnaval that happens after mardi gras, and to celebrate it, my friends and I all went out. The typical costume for Carnaval is a mask, but this soirée was a little different, and my friend and I decided to dress up as 80’s punk fairies. We had such a blast getting dressed up all crazy-like, and it was super fun mingling that night.
For all my girl friends back home, I still have yet to meet my prince charming. After seeing La Princesse et le Grenouille(The Princess and the Frog), I was hoping maybe he would come sauntering along, but all of the French guys that have presented themselves to me here have been either extremely attractive yet overconfident, or just awkward and creepy. I’m content with being celibataire (single en français).
Religious adventures
I do want to touch on the whole concept of Christianity here. I don’t recall if I have mentioned this in a past blog, but the religious atmosphere is really quite grim. The only people who really attend church regularly are very old senior citizens, and even then, church attendance has been going down more and more over the years. The thing that is most difficult to understand is how the French culture is so rich with religious history, art, music, and figures, yet it seems to be nothing more than a landmark of a lifestyle that has been left in the past. My friend and I have decided that it is time for us to try and understand this a little better, so we are going to start going to different churches (the majority being Catholic, which is different for both of us), and I personally want to talk with people about how they view the role of Christianity in France. For my dossier in my language class, I have decided to write about the current approach to Christianity for my generation and for children being raised today. I’ve already found out some really interesting trends, but I am curious to see where God takes me in my discoveries, even if I dislike some of what I hear.
Songs I like
“Les Voyages en Train” by Grand Corps Malade (This a slam poem that relates love to train rides), and “It’s Your Love” by Hillsong.
Watch this video, it shows the little prince meeting the rose and in the end she sings a song to him. If you find the lyrics and translations, it's even better. LOVE IT! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxM6czX2ads
Quote I love
Keep the faith, don’t give up. Remember this: amateurs built the ark, professionals built the Titanic. ~Unknown
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